1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to sheet material with integral fasteners for securing the sheet material to a structural member. In one of its aspects, the invention relates to a sound barrier mat having an integral fastener for securing the mat to a vehicle fire wall. In another of its aspects, the invention relates to a method for assembling a sheet material to a structural wall. In still another of its aspects, the invention relates to a structural wall assembly comprising a structural wall and a sheet material fastened thereto.
2. Description of Related Art
In most contemporary automobiles, a steel fire wall separates the engine compartment from the passenger compartment. To reduce the transmission of sound from the engine compartment through the fire wall and into the passenger compartment, a sound barrier mat is mounted to and substantially overlies the fire wall.
The sound barrier mat is mounted to a plurality of studs extending from the surface of the fire wall. Typically, to mount the sound barrier mat to the fire wall, the sound barrier mat has corresponding apertures in register with the studs so that the studs extend through the apertures and hang the sound barrier mat on the fire wall.
An absorber mat is usually attached to the sound barrier mat. When the sound barrier mat is installed to the fire wall, the absorber mat reduces the area of contact between the sound barrier mat and the fire wall. The sound barrier mat will lay under the carpet and extends beyond the carpet up to the top of the fire wall. To secure the sound barrier mat to the fire wall, separate fasteners are mounted onto the studs. The fasteners prevent the accidental removal or repositioning of the sound barrier mat and the underlying absorber mat.
A fastener for attaching an article such as a trim strip to a motor vehicle body is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,6392 Baum et al., issued Mar. 8, 1994. The Baum fastener is a plastic, push-button fastener which consists of a domed head with a circular stem that is received at one end in a circular skirt. A pair of resilient fingers project into an axial bore of the stem. To attach the fastener to the vehicle, a threaded stud mounted to the car body is received within the axial bore of the stem. By exerting pressure on the push-button, the stem is pressed over and onto the stud to deflect the retaining fingers so that they engage the threads on the stud to secure the fastener to the body panel. The domed head abuts the trim strip to hold the trim strip to the vehicle body.
Other similar fasteners are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,874,276, issued Oct. 17, 1989; 5,014,369, issued May 14, 1991; 5,195,793, issued Mar. 23, 1993; and 1,197,906, issued Sep. 12, 1916.